The Mysterines, a four-piece alternative-rock band from Liverpool, return with their second album, ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’: the complicated, shadowy, and more intimidating older sister of ‘Reeling’.
Released last Friday, ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ has a grungy, dark feel; nostalgic of the alternative music scene in the 90’s. Frontwoman Lia Metcalfe’s vocals are husky and full of angst, reminiscent of Hole’s Courtney Love or PJ Harvey, alongside the genre’s other features: heavy drums and distorted, feedback-ridden guitar.
Described as a ‘time capsule of fragile survival’, this album exposes a different side of The Mysterines. It is an untangling of fears, addictions, and anxiety – a far cry from the unwavering and self-assured confidence of ‘I Win Every Time’ and ‘Life’s a Bitch (But I Like It So Much)’.
The album begins with ‘The Last Dance’, a track that explores loneliness and feelings of being an outcast, accompanied by a catchy rhythm. You can hear the desperation in Metcalfe’s gruff vocals as she repeats the line ‘if only you take my hand’ multiple times throughout the song. The albums dark atmosphere is felt strongly during the outro as it gets quieter and the vocals become ominous, almost demonic as Metcalfe chants ‘unholy kind of accidents / happens when the puppet cuts the string / happens when the puppet cuts the string / cuts the string / cuts the string’.
‘Stray’ and ‘Sink Ya Teeth’– released as singles before the album’s appearance– are the album’s more upbeat, energetic songs, despite their lyrics dealing with the not so upbeat experience of dysfunctional and hopeless relationships, which are endlessly dizzying and full of broken promises. ‘Sink Ya Teeth’ seems to have it all, strong, gritty vocals, plenty of catchy guitar riffs and thought-evoking lyrics: ‘your kerosene kiss / there’s nothing new / you trap me under the glass to keep me loving you’. ‘Sink Ya Teeth’ is a song that no doubt will shine when played live on their upcoming tour.
‘Hawkmoon’ is an acoustic song, but without the tranquillity that most acoustic tracks have. It begins with an unsettling, robotic voice, asking “Are you there? We are picking up a human”, immediately giving the track an uncomfortable, darker feel. ‘Hawkmoon’ possesses a vulnerability with just the quiet acoustic guitar and Lia Metcalfe’s vocals which demonstrates her range as she ditches her signature huskiness and instead her vocals become softer and more angelic as she sings: ‘Hawkmoon I’m sending / waiting for landing / is anybody listening?’ Ending in a crescendo, and a repeat of the lyrics ‘Hawkmoon, I’ve landed’ with no response, the isolation is palpable.
This same vulnerability is also heard on the second to last track, ‘So Long’, a slower-paced song about the loss of love and moving on. The lyrics are bittersweet and the vocals are drenched in a sense of exhaustion; no doubt striking some sort of chord in anyone who has experienced heartbreak: ‘so long, my love, it’s forgiven / too young, too late, what’s the difference?’
The album ends with the title track, ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’, which despite the name of the song, is unexpectedly folky, with the inclusion of vigorously cheery guitar strums and the festive jingle of what sounds like a tambourine. The lyrics explore a strong fear for the future but due to the embracing of folk elements, there seems to be a remaining sense of hope and a desire to persevere.
‘Afraid of Tomorrow’s’ is full of range, managing to be dark and prickly whilst also being vulnerable and exposed – a glowing second album for The Mysterines, which is no doubt being devoured by fans, old and new.
Words by Emma Harrison